Redskins’ president and GM Bruce Allen was in a tough spot today.
DC sportswriters gave a convincing performance of the mob storming Frankenstein’s castle. They demanded blood. They demanded answers Allen could not give.
Allen said he was evaluating everything the team does as part of the turn-around. It is bad business to preannounce personnel moves to the press before informing those on the brink.
Allen should not have answered the question with specifics, especially when the “full evaluation” commenced 72 hours ago. Therein lies the problem.
This process should have begun 72 days ago. It should be part of a constant feedback loop, enriched by analytics that refines management decisions based on results. Winning, thinking, learning organizations do this constantly. That is the needed culture change, folks. It can only come from Allen or his boss.
_________________________
“Every time you lose you die a little. Not all of your organs, maybe just your liver.” ~ George Allen
_________________________
This is the boring business process improvement stuff your mother warned you about. Sports fans do not want to read about it. Sports is where you go to get away from work. (I promise I won’t use the phrase again in this story, but it is more relevant than you imagine.)
The Redskins haven’t done it. We know that based on results. Allen’s “full evaluation of everything” comment holds promise. It implies that some sort of process improvement is about to happen.
Flawed management teams cannot do it on their own. They hire management consultants with skills to lead them through it. There is no shame in doing so. It is not an everyday skill. Bruce did not name any consulting firms today.
He mentioned A.J. Smith, a 30-year colleague who consults part-time from California on talent evaluation. The sportswriters pressed on when Smith would be named GM. That’s just throwing a famous name to the mob and calling it a solution. Hog Heaven sees that as another short cut leading to nowhere. We will not be placated this time.
Jets and Falcons were ready. The Redskins were not.
The Jets hired Ron Wolf and Charlie Casserly to consult with owner Woody Johnson on who to fill vacancies at head coach and at General Manager.
The Falcons retained executive search firm Korn Ferry and former Browns CEO Joe Banner to find the next head coach.
The Jets and Falcons did not text consultants on Monday when the season ended. They put thought into these moves months ago. They were ready to announce those moves when the season ended.
Allen says his process began 72 hours ago. There is a reason why the Redskins always seem a day late and a dollar short.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
